Construction kit for display

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a construction kit and, in particular, modular flooring elements for the assembly of a modular raised floor base with detachable and interchangeable cover plates. More specifically, the stackable floor elements with associated presentation pedestal that may be assembled horizontally or vertically in order to assemble a presentation floor or stage to showcase products. The main objective of the present invention is to provide improved coupling means for a composition between floor elements, blocks, and cover plates which further allows to make a wide variety of floors with different heights and shapes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Belgian provisional application No. BE2016/0079 filed on 2 May 2016.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of Invention

This invention relates to a construction kit and, in particular, modular flooring elements for the assembly of a modular raised floor base with detachable interchangeable cover plates. More specifically, the stackable floor elements with associated presentation pedestals that may be assembled continuously or stepwise horizontally and vertically to present a display platform for various products.

Description of Prior Art

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Belgium or elsewhere before the priority date of this application.

Nowadays, modular floor systems are used to create an artificial ground surface. However, modular floor elements known in the prior art are not adapted well enough to present products with sufficient distinction in the height. This invention discloses a solution to provide adequate height to the modular floor elements. The invention provides a solution in the form of a construction kit wherein the floor elements and associated presentation bases are mutually and vertically stacked. Moreover, because of the universal nature of this construction kit, various presentation floor configurations may be built in a quick and efficient manner with minimum labor. The present invention i.e. the construction kit is mainly intended to make modular flooring in combination with block-shaped presentation pedestals which are mainly low, preferably less than one meter height. The purpose of the invention is not to make open cavities although this is not entirely ruled out. The intention is to create a presentation surface which allows products to be supported and showcased.

Presentation pedestals are block-shaped bodies that are to be used to present products at a height from the ground. In the current state of the art, presentation pedestals are used with or without a combination of modular floors to present products at a height above the ground. A disadvantage in the current state of the art is the fact that no solutions are offered which visually integrate presentation pedestals with floor systems. The present invention consists of a composition of flooring systems and presentation pedestals which are visually integrated which allows stages with different heights to be assembled in a uniform visual style. One advantage of the present invention is that a uniform style can be made between the floor and upstanding presentation pedestals all with the same form, material and cover plates. Moreover, presentation pedestals in the current state of the art are block-shaped bodies which are traditionally constructed from a monolithic sheet material such as wood, metal or plastic. An advantage of the present invention is that little visible seams can be seen. On the other hand, the downside of a presentation pedestals made from a monolithic material is that they have a static design which is not easy to change its shape or its outer finish. In environments where presentation pedestals are frequently used such as in stores, exhibition halls and in museums, it is often desirable to make regular adjustments in the size or the appearance of the presentation pedestals. Because pedestals and floor elements as described in the present invention are interchangeable and can be combined with decorative cover plates, it is easy to make other compositions with a different appearance.

The construction kit described in the present invention is suitable for the construction of furniture, floors and presentation pedestals and is composed of tiles, blocks, and cover plates.

It is generally known that portable floor systems consist of switchable structural elements as described in US Pat. App. 2006016136A1 to Moller, J R (2006). The disadvantage of such a system is that the tiles are not stackable. As a result, it is not possible to make higher floor elements. In a number of cases, user often wants a floor that is higher so as to make a greater visual difference from the floor. The downside to these floor systems as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,328,521 to Huss (2016) is that the floors do not have any height distinction. On the other hand, flooring system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,407 to Genoa (2012) does have height distinction, but the floor elements are not stackable and thus higher floors cannot be made. The ability to showcase products at a height above the floor is often a commercially desired feature. A disadvantage of floor systems as illustrated in U.S. Design Pat. No. 456,533S1 to Moller, J R. (2002) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,886 to Andres (2001) is that these floor systems do not build up the height above the ground surface, so that the visual distinction in height is limited and it is not possible to lead through the cables inside the flooring system. It is often desirable to store away data or power cables in a technical horizontal floor space. Often, it is difficult to stow away the cables without changing the routing of the cables. An advantageous feature of the present invention is the cross-shaped cut out on the upper surface of the floor tile which provides the space for passage; for e.g. space for cables passage through the surface. Additionally, the cross-shaped cut out on the upper surface of the floor tiles makes the edges upright for the blocks, floor tiles and the cover plates in order to clamp at various horizontal positions. Floor systems made of plastic switchable tiles are well known as described in U.S. Pat. No. 841,998 to Mulford (1907). The disadvantage of floor systems as described in US Pat. App. No. 2015361675 to Cerney et al (2015) is that the sides of the floor have protruding parts, so that the sides of the composite floor always have protruding parts. A solution to not have protruding parts is the use of a separate side or the use of removable connectors. A disadvantage of modular flooring systems with interchangeable connectors as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,244 to Bentzon (1996) is that the separate connecting elements are often lost during transportation or installation of the floor elements. However, the present invention has been constructed in such a way that the connectors can be mounted directly into the floor tile when they are not in use. The disadvantage of switchable floor systems as described in US Pat. App. No. 2002108323 to Gruber (2002) is that the breakdown and build-up must always be linear. The assembly and disassembly shall always start at the sides of the composition, although which has the disadvantage that the flexibility of the installation is greatly reduced. An advantage of the present invention is that the assembly and disassembly does not have to start at the sides of the composition. For example, it can start at a floor tile in the middle. This is possible because the horizontal floor tile connectors may be accessed from the top surface.

It is generally known in the prior art that the floor systems for drainage purposes consist of a combination of structural elements and cross plate elements, as described in US Pat. App. No. 2008118703 to Sansano Marti (2008). An advantage of using interchangeable cover plates is that the cover plates do not have a structural load bearing function and therefore requires less material for manufacturing, and thus are cheaper in production. An advantage of the present invention is that the floor plates have a structural function but visually the upper surface is covered by the cover plates, leaving little visual requirements for the production of the floorboards, which allows for example the usage of recycled materials for the production of the structural floor tiles. In WO2006102062, a cover plate is clamped to the base. In this construction, it rather becomes difficult to exchange the cover plates because of their structural functions. An advantage of the present invention is that the removable cover plates have a non-structural load-bearing function and the cover plates are not trapped within the composition and may be easily replaced. The users often do adjustments after the first installation wherein the present inventions comes handy since the cover plates are not fixed and therefore this can be done fast and easy.

Cover panels as known in the industrial construction are not produced by injection moulding. A disadvantage of the cross plates as described in DE3819164A1 to Scmidlin (1989) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,529 to Treister et al. (1997) is that the materials and construction techniques are expensive. A disadvantage of flooring systems such as described in CN102947872 with interchangeable inserts is that separate inserts are often expensive. However, the cover plates described in the present invention provide an economical alternative. Flat cover plates without internal rib structure with a projected area greater than 1500 cm2 made from plastic in an injection moulding process is very difficult to produce. Cover plates made by plastic injection moulding have the advantage of being economical. But a disadvantage of injection moulding of flat cover plates with a large surface is that injection molding of large flat surfaces is technically difficult. Injection molding is a process under high pressure which causes large internal stress during injection and solidification of the material. Therefore, after the injection molding process the cover plates will typically bend which make them unusable. An additional disadvantage of the injection moulding of large surfaces is that the filling of the entire mould becomes more difficult if the surface of the cover plate becomes thinner. The use of different injection points may help for the filling of a thin surface but will have the disadvantage that there will be a visible flow line at those places where the material during the injection will touch each other. An additional advantage of the present invention is the usage of planar cover plates which make use of upstanding edges. These upstanding edges act like flow channels that facilitate the injection moulding process and result in a completely flat cover plate.

Furthermore, a disadvantage of modular systems, as described in WO2014122155A1 is that these systems have a plurality of parts and mechanical connections between the different elements. The mechanical connection between the components results in a visible seam. The result of many mechanical connections results in a plurality of seams which makes the composition of a presentation pedestal appears complex. An advantage of the present invention is that there are no horizontal connections required between the presentation pedestals. Another disadvantage of presentation pedestals made with systems as described in WO2014122155A1 is that the plurality of components that are required for the construction of a presentation pedestal, result in a higher total economic cost and decreased ease of use. Often users who install presentation pedestals are not technical staff. Often, these users do not have time to make complex compositions. For presentation systems the user needs different components; building a presentation pedestal is done with different profiles, different plates and different connections which is very labour intensive process. This results in high labor costs which is an important disadvantage for companies providing shop window services. It is well known that presentation pedestals can be constructed with a combination of blocks as described in CN699151. The disadvantage of this type of modular systems is that there are many visible seams. The disadvantage of CN699151 is that cadres should be made with a profile. This results in a higher flexibility, however, as a disadvantage, the composition will form a plurality of visible seams what is considered as visually unattractive. In the present invention fully monolithic blocks are cast made in a single piece and doesn't have seams on the surface of the blocks. The gaps between the elements are as small as possible so that the assembly of the components visually appears seamless. Stackable volumes as described in EP1743844A1 to John Dyer (2007), are known in the present state of the art and are used to include products, to enclose or to be transported. Often, these bins are manufactured with an injection moulding process provided with the possibility to stack or nest the blocks. The disadvantage of blocks as described in US Pat. App. No. 20030024845 to Smyer et al. (2003) is that they have an open top and cannot be used for products to be placed upon. An advantage of the present invention is that the blocks are stackable but have a closed top so that products can be placed on the blocks. Structural system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,950 to Sun (2004), EP0621063A1 to Kichijyo, Hiroshi (1998) or U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,217 to Shinaa (1974) has various parts which make the assembly more labour intensive. DE202004016911 to Horowitz, Simona (2005) describes blocks that can be stacked, and whereof the top side may be replaced. The top is provided with reinforcing ribs. The product is in fact used primarily for the presentation of other products which are potentially heavy in weight. However, DE202004016911 offers no horizontal connections; thereby it is not possible to make a modular structure which is mechanically connected. Hence, the present invention is a substantial improvement over the existing patents in this field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or substantially ameliorate, one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

It is an object of invention to provide improved coupling means for a composition between floor elements, blocks, and cross plates thereby can be made a wide variety of floors with different heights and shapes to achieve a substantially seamless and uniform appearance. The main application of this invention is to construct raised floors and stages with integrated presentation pedestals and cross plates for the presentation of products. More specifically, in the store or exhibition halls, the combination of a presentation base integrated with a modular floor makes the possibility to be able to create a visually uniform display of the showcased products.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the floor tiles can be mounted mutually horizontally, magnetically or mechanically to each other. In fact, the floor tiles described in the present invention may be stacked with each other either vertically or horizontally. The connections are used in order to be able to connect modular components with each other horizontally or vertically. In case the floor tiles are connected horizontally, the blocks do not have to be connected horizontally, whereby the blocks have seamless upright side surfaces.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal joints between the blocks are connected with each other because the floor tiles on the floor are connected with each other. The blocks can be mounted in different horizontal positions on the floor tiles. The blocks and tiles can be fitted with a cover plate so as to ensure the uniform aesthetics. The cover plate is constructed as a plate with raised edges surrounding the surface. The cover plate allows to add custom decorations or patterns to the presentation base with the purpose to cover the modular construction kit in an aesthetic way. The cover plate can be provided according to the needs and wishes of the customer with the necessary decoration. These cover plates may be transparent, opaque or directly printed and may be replaced fast and easily with an optional clamping means. This makes it possible to accomplish an aesthetic transition between different neighbouring cover plates or the edges of the blocks.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the blocks and various floorboards are preferably made of plastic with the advantage that they are light, and yet have sufficient rigidity. Various components are preferably monolithic and produced in a single piece according to a known technique, such as injection moulding. The ground surface of the components preferably has a length and a width of 40 cm so it fits the total surface of a composition within the modular dimensions of a EURO pallet, which is a measure for efficient transport.

According to yet another embodiment, the constructional components described in the invention preferably have corners and edges that have a small draft. The draft of the edges is preferably between 3 and 6 millimetres. When a composition is made of different components, the draft corners will result in two edges of two different components. The drafts are mutually mirrored-inverted opposite to each other, which will further result in a composite seam that visually looks like a diamond and is aesthetically pleasing to the viewer.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, provided by way of example only, together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of the floor elements.

FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of the modular floor base.

FIG. 3 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal.

FIG. 4 shows yet another top perspective view of the modular pedestal.

FIG. 5 shows another top perspective view of the modular pedestal.

FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal with floor elements.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a block with raised edges.

FIG. 8 shows a top perspective view of the inside of the block.

FIG. 9 shows another perspective view of the modular pedestal with a block.

FIG. 10 shows a cross section of the block in FIG. 9 along A-A′

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the modular pedestal block with upstanding edges.

FIG. 12 shows an explosive view of the modular pedestal

FIG. 13 shows yet another perspective view of the modular pedestal.

FIG. 14 shows a bottom perspective view of the cover plate.

FIG. 15 shows yet another top perspective view of the modular pedestal with floor elements

FIG. 16 shows a top perspective view of the modular floor base.

FIG. 17 shows a cross-sectional view of the two floor elements.

FIG. 18 a) shows a sectional view of clamping means to connect to the floor tiles. and FIG. 18 b) shows yet another sectional view of clamping means to connect to the floor tiles.

FIG. 19 shows a block with a central ring attached to an add on.

FIG. 20 shows a perspective view of the inside of a floor element.

FIG. 21 shows another perspective view of the modular pedestal.

FIG. 22 shows another perspective view of the floor element.

FIG. 23 shows examples of a modular pedestal forming a presentation unit.

FIG. 24 shows other examples of a modular pedestal forming a presentation unit.

FIG. 25 shows few other examples of a modular pedestal forming a presentation unit.

FIG. 26 shows yet other examples of a modular pedestal forming a presentation unit.

FIG. 27 shows few other examples of a modular pedestal forming a presentation unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of the floor element 1 with raised edge 2, in order to stock a closed bearing surface 3, and room for clamping means 4.

FIG. 2 shows a composition of four floor elements 1 making a whole modular floor base 6.

FIG. 3 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 which is made up of floor elements 1 which are covered with cover plates 8 with raised edge 2 having a closed bearing surface 3 and a block 7 which clamps onto the upstanding edges 2 of the modular floor base 6.

FIG. 4 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 which is made up of floor elements 1 with upstanding edges 2 which are covered with cover plates 8 having a closed bearing surface 3 and a block 7 which clamps onto the upstanding edges 2 of the modular floor base 6.

FIG. 5 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 with a number of floor elements 1 which forms a modular floor base 6 and a number of blocks 7 having a closed bearing surface 3 and a standing edge 2, where more blocks 7 or cover plates can clamp upon.

FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 with a number of floor elements 1 which are covered with cover plates 8 which form a modular floor base 6 and a number of blocks 7 having a closed bearing surface 3 and an upstanding edge 2 where more blocks 7 or cover plates 8 can clamp upon.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a block 7 with raised edges 2, a closed bearing surface 3 and closed side 9.

FIG. 8 shows a top perspective view of the inside of a block 7 with closed sides 9 with the floor element abutment 10 and supporting ribs 11 and means for clamping on the upstanding edge 12.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 with a block 7, small blocks 14 with raised edges 2 and a cover plate 8 and upstanding edge 12.

FIG. 10 shows a cross section of the block 7, closed side faces 9 and drafted edges 15.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the modular pedestal 5, block 7, upstanding edges 2.

FIG. 12 shows an explosive view of the modular pedestal 5 with a block 7, small blocks 14 with raised edges 2 and means for clamping on raised edges 12 and a drafted block 16.

FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 with two blocks 7 and a closed bearing surface 3.

FIG. 14 shows the underside of a cover plate 8 has a closed support surface 3 and break edges for the cover plate 17.

FIG. 15 shows a top perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 with a number of floor elements 1 which form a modular floor base 6 and a block 7 which can be placed at different positions on the ground surface with a closed bearing surface 3 and an upstanding edge 2, where more blocks 7 can clamp on.

FIG. 16 shows a top perspective view of the modular floor base 6 consisting of two floor elements 1 which have a closed bearing surface 3 and clamping means for connecting floor tiles 18.

FIG. 17 shows a cross-sectional view of two floor elements 1 and space to hide clamping means 4 and shows clamping means to connect floor tiles 18 and a clamping surface of the floor tiles 22.

FIG. 18 A) shows a sectional view of clamping means 18 to connect to floor tiles, and the tools to disassemble clamping means 19, and snap hooks 20 which work in a clamping way.

FIG. 18 B) shows clamping means 18 to connect to floor tiles, and handles to be able to disassemble the clamping means 19.

FIG. 19 shows a block with a central circular ring 30 for the attachment of add-ons included but not limiting to display holders 31 for e.g. to display a certain item say a shoe or a helmet, the holders can self attach to the concerned item to be showcased

FIG. 20 shows a perspective view of the inside of a floor element 1 with a raised edge 2 and reinforcing ribs 11, floor element supports 10, vertical connector 24, clamping surfaces of the floor tile 22 and means for clamping on raised edges 12, and a space to stock the clamping means 4.

FIG. 21 shows another perspective view of the modular pedestal 5 consisting of two floor elements 1 and a data cable 24.

FIG. 22 shows a floor element 1 and several floor element supports 10 where a vertical connector 24 is mounted.

FIG. 23 shows examples of a modular pedestal 5, wherein floor elements 1 and blocks 7 and the cover plates 17 together form a presentation unit.

FIG. 24 shows examples of a modular pedestal 5, wherein floor elements 1 and blocks 7 and the cover plates 17 together form a presentation unit.

FIG. 25 shows examples of a modular pedestal 5, wherein floor elements 1 and blocks 7 and the cover plates 17 together form a presentation unit.

FIG. 26 shows examples of a modular pedestal 5, wherein floor elements 1 and blocks 7 and the cover plates 17 together form a presentation unit.

FIG. 27 shows examples of a modular pedestal 5, wherein floor elements 1 and blocks 7 and the cover plates 17 together form a presentation unit.

While a number of preferred embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A) A kit for modular pedestal display system consisting of one or more floor tiles, wherein each floor tile consists of: i) a rectangular panel having 4 identical upright side faces, an upper and bottom surface; ii) upper surface that is closed and almost flat; iii) a bottom surface which is open and has an internal rib structure; iv) wherein the four standing side surfaces are narrowed to the top resulting in a top surface with a raised edge; v) a bottom which is formed to allow clamping on the upper side of the floor tiles; vi) wherein the four identical upstanding opposite side surfaces have openings for connecting components that are configured to connect congruent clamping means with the adjoining side faces of the same structural plate; vii) wherein the side ribs extend to the bottom of the floor tiles. B) A kit for modular pedestal display system consisting of one or more blocks, wherein each block consists of: i) a rectangular panel which has four identical upright side faces, an upper and bottom surface; ii) upper surface that is closed and almost flat; iii) a bottom surface which is open and has an internal rib structure; iv) wherein the four standing side surfaces are narrowed to the top resulting in a top surface with a raised edge; v) a bottom which is formed to allow clamping on the upper side of the floor tiles. vi) wherein the side ribs extend to the bottom of the block. C) A kit for modular pedestal display system consisting of one or more removable cover plates, wherein each cover plate consists of: i) a rectangular panel which has four identical upright side faces, and a closed and almost flat top surface; ii) an open bottom surface characterized by the same surface area to have a size which allows to clamp on the upper surface of floor tiles and blocks.
 2. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocks and floor tiles are mutually stackable.
 3. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, A) wherein the side faces of vertically stacked floor tiles, block-shaped bodies, and cover plates lie in the same vertical plane and are bound by the vertical plane; B) wherein substantially no parts deviate from the horizontal plane, and thus a substantially seamless surface is obtained.
 4. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor tiles in the same horizontal plane may be connected to each other with a clamping means.
 5. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standing side surface of the floor tiles, blocks, and cover plates are substantially seamless.
 6. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the blocks and cover plates are substantially seamless.
 7. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor tiles have a deployable clamping means which further allows horizontal connections between the floor tiles.
 8. A modular pedestal display system according to claim 1, wherein the blocks, cover plates and floor tiles are congruent in shapes and wherein the mutual stacking entirely determines their horizontal position.
 9. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocks, cover plates and floor tiles have drafted edges preferably between 3 to 6 millimeters.
 10. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the base plate and floor tiles preferably have a cross-shaped cut out.
 11. A modular pedestal display system according to claim 10, wherein the cross-shaped cut out on the upper surface of the floor tile makes the edges upright for the blocks, floor tiles and the cover plates in order to clamp at various horizontal positions.
 12. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cross-shaped cut out on the upper surface of the floor tile provides the space for passage; for e.g. space for cables passage through the surface.
 13. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the floor tiles have a cavity where the clamping means can be packed.
 14. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the connectors of these floor tiles are preferably stacked within a space on the floor tile.
 15. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corners and edges of the floor plates, blocks, and cover plates preferably have an identical draft.
 16. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover plate preferably has a wall thickness that is greater than 1 mm and smaller than 3 mm.
 17. A kit for modular pedestal display systems according to claim 1, wherein the construction kit is made of a moulded plastic material, preferably having a thin-walled thermoplastic.
 18. A modular pedestal display system according to claim 1, wherein: i. the length and the width of the ground plane of the floor tile, block-shaped body and cover plate are substantially the same; ii. the length and the width of the ground plane of the floor tile is larger than 35 cm.
 19. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the floor tiles and blocks forms a strong support surface together with the side-supporting ribs imparting an overall strong structure to the entire system.
 20. A modular pedestal display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: i. the floor tiles have vertical support points with the same height as that of the side faces and; ii. bottom surface to top surface running in which the vertical support points are nested in the upper surface of the floor tile. 